Public Footpaths & Property Values

So one of this weeks property’s looked the part, a fine Victorian farmhouse with outbuildings, a pool and a couple of acres all set in the garden of England.

Except passing straight through the site and about 20m from the back windows was a well used and well known right of way – a footpath, not a bridleway or byway so no landies or horses passing by but plenty of Roger & Rebecca ramblers. In fact one strode through as I was doing the inspection.

We know that not all property owners relish the thought of ramblers – famously Van Hoogstraten described them as the great unwashed and blocked all the paths on his land.

The question from my client was this – what is the affect in a properties value when a path goes straight through it. Well, after much chin stroking and office debate we decided that the affect would be negligible but that it may reduce a number of prospective purchasers and consequently have a mild effect on marketability.

Having said that we did feel that the effect would be marked if it was a smaller site or if it was a byway, although the odd horse on a bridleway shouldn’t make too much difference.

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